1924 United States presidential election in Kentucky explained

See main article: 1924 United States presidential election.

Election Name:1924 United States presidential election in Kentucky
Country:Kentucky
Flag Image:Flag of Kentucky (1918-1963).svg
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1920 United States presidential election in Kentucky
Previous Year:1920
Next Election:1928 United States presidential election in Kentucky
Next Year:1928
Election Date:November 4, 1924
Image1:Calvin Coolidge cph.3g10777 crop.jpg
Nominee1:Calvin Coolidge
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Home State1:Massachusetts
Running Mate1:Charles G. Dawes
Electoral Vote1:13
Popular Vote1:398,966
Percentage1:48.93%
Nominee2:John W. Davis
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Home State2:West Virginia
Running Mate2:Charles W. Bryan
Electoral Vote2:0
Popular Vote2:374,855
Percentage2:45.98%
Map Size:380px
President
Before Election:Calvin Coolidge
Before Party:Republican Party (United States)
After Election:Calvin Coolidge
Flag Year:1918

The 1924 United States presidential election in Kentucky took place on November 4, 1924, as part of the 1924 United States presidential election. Voters chose thirteen representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

Ever since the Civil War, Kentucky had been shaped politically by divisions created by that war between secessionist, Democratic counties and Unionist, Republican ones,[1] although the state as a whole leaned Democratic throughout this era and the GOP had carried the state only once – in 1896[2] – between 1864 and 1920.[3]

However, largely owing to loss of support for the Democratic Party in historically secessionist Northern Kentucky,[4] and to a general decline in Democratic support from the high levels seen in 1920,[5] due to female mobilization after the Nineteenth Amendment,[6] Calvin Coolidge narrowly won Kentucky by 2.95 points against John W. Davis, winning all 13 electoral votes from the state.[7] Kentucky is the only state that Warren G. Harding lost in the 1920 presidential election, but Coolidge won in the 1924 presidential election.

Also on the ballot was maverick Wisconsin Senator Robert M. La Follette, who carried his home state and ran second in eleven states in the Midwest and West. However, La Follette had little appeal in most of conservative Kentucky, with the only exceptions being a few rapidly unionising, labor-policy-conscious mining counties in the Eastern Coalfield and more significantly in German-influenced Northern Kentucky where he ran ahead of Davis in traditionally Democratic, highly populated Kenton and Campbell Counties – in the process playing a decisive role in handing Coolidge a closely contested election. Despite his strong showings in the two northern counties, Kentucky was overall La Follette's seventh-weakest state and, outside the former Confederacy where poll taxes prevented most of the lower classes voting, his second-weakest after pro-League of Nations Rhode Island.

Results

Results by county

1924 United States presidential election in Kentucky[8]
CountyJohn Calvin Coolidge
Republican
John William Davis
Democratic
Robert Marion La Follette Sr.
Progressive
Various candidates
Other parties
MarginTotal votes cast
%%%%%
Adair2,75753.40%2,36845.86%300.58%80.15%3897.53%5,163
Allen3,13256.52%2,37342.83%270.49%90.16%75913.70%5,541
Anderson1,41939.84%2,08958.65%300.84%240.67%-670-18.81%3,562
Ballard76719.18%3,12878.22%812.03%230.58%-2,361-59.04%3,999
Barren3,48843.48%4,44955.46%730.91%120.15%-961-11.98%8,022
Bath1,72344.90%2,09354.55%200.52%10.03%-370-9.64%3,837
Bell5,37168.02%2,16627.43%3334.22%260.33%3,20540.59%7,896
Boone1,34036.39%2,20459.86%1273.45%110.30%-864-23.47%3,682
Bourbon3,69147.06%4,03451.43%931.19%250.32%-343-4.37%7,843
Boyd6,06255.55%4,07937.38%6606.05%1121.03%1,98318.17%10,913
Boyle2,67343.00%3,19751.42%2934.71%540.87%-524-8.43%6,217
Bracken1,77951.67%1,48543.13%1253.63%541.57%2948.54%3,443
Breathitt1,70837.59%2,82662.19%100.22%00.00%-1,118-24.60%4,544
Breckinridge3,83253.37%3,23044.99%1041.45%140.19%6028.38%7,180
Bullitt94633.04%1,78962.49%1254.37%30.10%-843-29.44%2,863
Butler2,64468.18%1,17730.35%320.83%250.64%1,46737.83%3,878
Caldwell2,49851.45%2,18344.96%1483.05%260.54%3156.49%4,855
Calloway93619.17%3,79077.63%1302.66%260.53%-2,854-58.46%4,882
Campbell12,32949.44%5,56422.31%6,88227.60%1610.65%5,44721.84%24,936
Carlisle46716.93%2,25081.58%291.05%120.44%-1,783-64.65%2,758
Carroll1,30636.59%2,24362.85%180.50%20.06%-937-26.25%3,569
Carter4,47261.50%2,55235.10%2313.18%160.22%1,92026.41%7,271
Casey3,12063.03%1,79736.30%310.63%20.04%1,32326.73%4,950
Christian7,19251.77%6,58547.40%1010.73%140.10%6074.37%13,892
Clark2,70340.78%3,85758.18%440.66%250.38%-1,154-17.41%6,629
Clay3,61374.08%1,14423.46%1082.21%120.25%2,46950.63%4,877
Clinton2,06978.70%54320.65%110.42%60.23%1,52658.04%2,629
Crittenden2,53956.75%1,86941.77%541.21%120.27%67014.98%4,474
Cumberland2,14369.60%91829.81%180.58%00.00%1,22539.79%3,079
Daviess7,27046.67%8,11652.10%1611.03%310.20%-846-5.43%15,578
Edmonson2,06263.54%1,18336.46%00.00%00.00%87927.09%3,245
Elliott61426.16%1,70272.52%261.11%50.21%-1,088-46.36%2,347
Estill2,15248.64%2,05246.38%1954.41%250.57%1002.26%4,424
Fayette11,75552.20%10,43346.33%2451.09%860.38%1,3225.87%22,519
Fleming2,57249.38%2,59049.72%300.58%170.33%-18-0.35%5,209
Floyd3,77344.02%4,22049.23%5626.56%170.20%-447-5.21%8,572
Franklin2,82637.15%4,67861.50%590.78%430.57%-1,852-24.35%7,606
Fulton90220.96%3,33677.53%561.30%90.21%-2,434-56.57%4,303
Gallatin75042.13%1,00756.57%221.24%10.06%-257-14.44%1,780
Garrard2,59254.63%2,12644.81%260.55%10.02%4669.82%4,745
Grant1,40439.45%1,92354.03%2085.84%240.67%-519-14.58%3,559
Graves2,27923.22%7,26674.04%2472.52%210.21%-4,987-50.82%9,813
Grayson3,18352.16%2,85846.84%560.92%50.08%3255.33%6,102
Green1,92055.16%1,54844.47%80.23%50.14%37210.69%3,481
Greenup2,51047.30%1,93236.41%81315.32%510.96%57810.89%5,306
Hancock1,33248.88%1,32348.55%592.17%110.40%90.33%2,725
Hardin2,73538.00%4,29659.68%1522.11%150.21%-1,561-21.69%7,198
Harlan9,63472.94%2,13316.15%1,2639.56%1781.35%7,50156.79%13,208
Harrison2,16534.98%3,92463.40%871.41%130.21%-1,759-28.42%6,189
Hart2,73648.08%2,86250.29%831.46%100.18%-126-2.21%5,691
Henderson4,90253.67%4,04644.30%1862.04%00.00%8569.37%9,134
Henry1,91833.86%3,70665.43%300.53%100.18%-1,788-31.57%5,664
Hickman61821.27%2,27078.14%130.45%40.14%-1,652-56.87%2,905
Hopkins5,29244.64%5,86449.47%6045.10%940.79%-572-4.83%11,854
Jackson2,62987.96%2849.50%752.51%10.03%2,34578.45%2,989
Jefferson61,76852.53%50,40942.87%5,0324.28%3770.32%11,3599.66%117,586
Jessamine2,14445.00%2,47051.85%250.52%1252.62%-326-6.84%4,764
Johnson3,07861.67%1,48029.65%4088.17%250.50%1,59832.02%4,991
Kenton13,53744.33%7,94826.03%8,89729.13%1570.51%4,64015.19%30,539
Knott88627.75%2,28671.59%160.50%50.16%-1,400-43.85%3,193
Knox3,76767.34%1,53727.48%2905.18%00.00%2,23039.86%5,594
Larue1,37240.42%1,99358.72%250.74%40.12%-621-18.30%3,394
Laurel3,27466.24%1,45129.35%2024.09%160.32%1,82336.88%4,943
Lawrence2,54750.16%2,44548.15%731.44%130.26%1022.01%5,078
Lee1,34849.25%1,34849.25%291.06%120.44%00.00%2,737
Leslie2,05288.91%2239.66%170.74%160.69%1,82979.25%2,308
Letcher3,17254.96%1,91233.13%65011.26%370.64%1,26021.83%5,771
Lewis3,06765.13%1,44730.73%1723.65%230.49%1,62034.40%4,709
Lincoln2,93546.67%3,10049.29%2403.82%140.22%-165-2.62%6,289
Livingston1,26740.84%1,76857.00%601.93%70.23%-501-16.15%3,102
Logan3,70542.80%4,77255.13%1081.25%710.82%-1,067-12.33%8,656
Lyon99336.33%1,69662.06%381.39%60.22%-703-25.72%2,733
Madison5,27651.26%4,89547.56%900.87%310.30%3813.70%10,292
Magoffin2,19655.25%1,75744.20%210.53%10.03%43911.04%3,975
Marion1,97538.53%3,05559.60%941.83%20.04%-1,080-21.07%5,126
Marshall1,19229.73%2,75268.63%591.47%70.17%-1,560-38.90%4,010
Martin1,51272.94%36417.56%1868.97%110.53%1,14855.38%2,073
Mason3,40648.28%3,52549.96%1081.53%160.23%-119-1.69%7,055
McCracken4,97940.54%6,02849.08%1,2189.92%560.46%-1,049-8.54%12,281
McCreary2,31774.98%53317.25%2347.57%60.19%1,78457.73%3,090
McLean1,85743.61%2,28453.64%942.21%230.54%-427-10.03%4,258
Meade1,10637.43%1,80260.98%441.49%30.10%-696-23.55%2,955
Menifee45033.48%87364.96%70.52%141.04%-423-31.47%1,344
Mercer2,71549.62%2,69849.31%330.60%260.48%170.31%5,472
Metcalfe1,45053.15%1,26246.26%150.55%10.04%1886.89%2,728
Monroe2,48971.18%97027.74%340.97%40.11%1,51943.44%3,497
Montgomery1,95644.92%2,34753.90%270.62%240.55%-391-8.98%4,354
Morgan1,80535.09%3,31164.37%280.54%00.00%-1,506-29.28%5,144
Muhlenberg5,21049.76%4,37941.82%8418.03%410.39%8317.94%10,471
Nelson2,08234.56%3,86364.13%761.26%30.05%-1,781-29.57%6,024
Nicholas1,34837.19%2,23561.66%350.97%70.19%-887-24.47%3,625
Ohio4,26750.65%3,81745.31%2943.49%470.56%4505.34%8,425
Oldham90631.30%1,95467.50%351.21%00.00%-1,048-36.20%2,895
Owen91322.24%3,15576.84%360.88%20.05%-2,242-54.60%4,106
Owsley1,43480.38%32318.11%231.29%40.22%1,11162.28%1,784
Pendleton2,14849.71%2,02846.93%1413.26%40.09%1202.78%4,321
Perry4,35759.09%2,65836.05%3424.64%170.23%1,69923.04%7,374
Pike7,05952.13%5,83543.09%5744.24%720.53%1,2249.04%13,540
Powell72442.87%93955.60%251.48%10.06%-215-12.73%1,689
Pulaski6,43562.66%3,15830.75%6556.38%210.20%3,27731.91%10,269
Robertson49841.85%68057.14%90.76%30.25%-182-15.29%1,190
Rockcastle2,71266.24%1,27731.19%1052.56%00.00%1,43535.05%4,094
Rowan1,32653.60%1,09244.14%532.14%30.12%2349.46%2,474
Russell2,27864.61%1,22434.71%240.68%00.00%1,05429.89%3,526
Scott2,33437.60%3,80561.30%380.61%300.48%-1,471-23.70%6,207
Shelby2,96641.60%4,09257.39%460.65%260.36%-1,126-15.79%7,130
Simpson1,29432.08%2,68866.63%481.19%40.10%-1,394-34.56%4,034
Spencer96141.95%1,32057.62%100.44%00.00%-359-15.67%2,291
Taylor2,26752.09%2,05247.15%190.44%140.32%2154.94%4,352
Todd1,94241.50%2,67957.24%571.22%20.04%-737-15.75%4,680
Trigg2,13044.36%2,62554.66%320.67%150.31%-495-10.31%4,802
Trimble33516.61%1,67683.09%20.10%40.20%-1,341-66.48%2,017
Union1,77832.05%3,49362.97%2424.36%340.61%-1,715-30.92%5,547
Warren5,63444.12%7,00554.85%1060.83%260.20%-1,371-10.74%12,771
Washington2,28650.39%2,23849.33%100.22%30.07%481.06%4,537
Wayne2,43654.31%2,02045.04%250.56%40.09%4169.28%4,485
Webster3,13147.08%3,44951.86%00.00%711.07%-318-4.78%6,651
Whitley4,71668.38%1,41320.49%73010.58%380.55%3,30347.89%6,897
Wolfe82133.72%1,59765.59%170.70%00.00%-776-31.87%2,435
Woodford2,09145.69%2,47254.02%70.15%60.13%-381-8.33%4,576
Totals398,96648.93%374,85545.98%38,4654.72%3,0460.37%24,1112.96%815,332

Notes and References

  1. Sullivan, Robert David; ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016
  2. Web site: Presidential General Election Results Comparison – Kentucky. Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas.
  3. [Kevin Phillips (political commentator)|Phillips, Kevin P.]
  4. Copeland, James E.; ‘Where Were the Kentucky Unionists and Secessionists’; The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, volume 71, no. 4 (October 1973), pp. 344-363
  5. Harrison, Lowell Hayes; A New History of Kentucky, p. 352
  6. See Bolin, Janes Duane; Bossism and Reform in a Southern City: Lexington, Kentucky, 1880-1940, pp. 82-83
  7. Web site: 1924 Presidential General Election Results – Kentucky. Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas.
  8. Kentucky Secretary of State; General Election Held November 4th, 1924: Presidential Electors (Ledger)